Pointless Music

I greatly dislike musicians that create music with no point. It doesn't matter what the point is. It could be party music, dance music, smoking crack music...whatever. But please don't pick up an instrument and make music if you have nothing to say either lyrically or instrumentally.

Last night, I had the misfortune of witnessing a "musical group" that desperately needed a Music Theory 101 course. During one song, it sounded like the keyboardist sat on the keyboard and played with his butt. It was similar to a two-year-old pounding on a piano. The keyboardist was clearly trying to be eccentric, but that only works with people who know what they're doing. This guy sounded like he had never played any instrument before in his life. In my opinion, if you want to make eccentric and offbeat music, you should do it in a way that is not going to ostracize your audience.

Some music I have been exposed to has lyrics, but they are literally about nothing. (This has been explained to me as "stream of conscious writing". You write whatever you are thinking about at the moment. ) Lyrics about nothing don't necessarily equal a bad song. (Does anyone know what Gavin Rossdale is singing about in all those Bush songs?) But combine it with guitars that are way too fuzzy and muffled with no clear melody and you have yourself a load of pointless music. It's hard for me to connect with a song that if full of distorted harmonies with a singer who is singing about how many doors are in his house or something. If lyrics are not important to your musical creativity, then leave them out.

I'm mostly upset about this because music is very powerful and has the potential to make a difference or to connect with people emotionally. It's like a fart in Mozart's face to sell a record that you created just to have fun and make some noise. Most people listen to music to relax, rock out or to help them through difficult times. Why would you make music that no one knows what they hell they're supposed to do with?

If you have the talent/will to record music, why would you create something that doesn't connect with a broad audience? If you want to make eccentric music, that's cool but do it responsibly. Learn some scales and key signatures and take some piano lessons. I would also suggest you take a poetry course and learn to write meaningful lyrics (or lyrics about anything!).

I think music has a significant impact on everyone in this world. To have the talent to participate in that is not something to be taken lightly. You have a role in this world (similar to a Jedi Knight) to connect with people. Don't squander your talent or, better yet, don't pretend you have the talent and then poo-poo all over an instrument.